Why humans don’t have sex with their relatives – Study

A study of ancient human remains found in Russia has revealed why humans don’t have sex with their relatives.

The study, led by Cambridge University and the University of Copenhagen, found out that prehistoric humans developed sophisticated social and mating networks that were surprising and deliberately sought partners beyond their families.

According to RT, researchers examined genetic remains of four anatomically-modern humans from Sunghir, an Upper Paleolithic site in Russia. Unusually for finds from this period, the people were found buried together.

To the researchers’ surprise, the individuals were not closely related in genetic terms. At the very most, they were second cousins. This is true even in the case of two children who were buried head-to-head in the same grave.

Objects and jewelry found buried with the remains suggest they may have developed rules, ceremonies and rituals to accompany the exchange of mates between groups which perhaps foreshadowed modern marriage ceremonies.